Columbia County, Oregon Demographics 2026

Name: Columbia County, Oregon Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Columbia County, Oregon has a population of 53,493, the 17th most populous county in Oregon. The median household income is $87,458 and the median home value is $421,600. The poverty rate is 8.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Columbia County Quick Facts

Population 53,493

Median Household Income $87,458

Median Home Value $421,600

Poverty Rate 8.9%

Unemployment Rate 4.1%

Median Age 43.3 years

Homeownership Rate 76.1%

Affordability Ratio 4.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 19.9%

High School Graduation 89.7%

Cities/Places 9

Population 53,493 17th of 36

Median Income $87,458 5% higher than state

Poverty Rate 8.9%

Unemployment 4.1%

How Columbia County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	53,178	53,493	+0.6%
Median household income	$86,359	$87,458	+1.3%
Median home value	$390,600	$421,600	+7.9%

Median Household Income

Columbia

$87,458

$83,011

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Columbia

$421,600

$477,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 10.9%

$25K-$50K 15.2%

$50K-$100K 32.9%

$100K+ 41.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.2%

$10K-$15K

3.0%

$15K-$20K

1.9%

$20K-$25K

2.7%

$25K-$30K

2.9%

$30K-$35K

3.2%

$35K-$40K

3.8%

$40K-$45K

2.4%

$45K-$50K

2.9%

$50K-$60K

7.6%

$60K-$75K

8.4%

$75K-$100K

16.9%

$100K-$125K

12.0%

$125K-$150K

8.9%

$150K-$200K

12.4%

$200K+

7.7%

Employment

4.1% Unemployment Rate State: 5.4%|National: 5.2%

57.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 76.1%

Renter 23.9%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,373/mo 18.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.3%

18-34

18.6%

35-54

26.3%

55-74

27.1%

75+

7.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Columbia County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
St. Helens	14,258	$82,865	10.0%	$394,200
Scappoose	8,179	$97,708	7.2%	$455,700
Vernonia	2,786	$83,411	10.0%	$351,900
Clatskanie	2,364	$90,709	11.1%	$363,900
Rainier	2,130	$66,989	18.3%	$344,700
Columbia City	2,006	$96,750	9.4%	$460,000
Warren	1,637	$126,838	1.2%	$523,400
Deer Island	199	N/A	9.0%	N/A
Prescott	34	$105,000	8.8%	$316,700

Explore Oregon Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Columbia County is located in Oregon with a total population of 53,493. It is the 17th most populous county out of 36 in Oregon. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Columbia County is 43.3 years. This is 7% higher than the state median of 40.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Columbia County is $87,458. This is 5% higher than the state median of $83,011. It is also 8% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.9%. This is 26% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 23% lower than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $421,600. Housing costs are 12% lower than the state median of $477,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.8x. 76.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 63.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Columbia County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.7%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 1.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (6.7%) is well below the state average of 14.7%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 4.4%.

Education

19.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 46% lower than the state rate of 36.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Columbia County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Oregon and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Columbia County, Oregon?

Columbia County has a population of 53,493, making it the 17th most populous county in Oregon.

What is the median income in Columbia County?

The median household income in Columbia County is $87,458 with a poverty rate of 8.9%.

How many cities are in Columbia County, Oregon?

Columbia County contains 9 Census-designated places.